"10.
Due to irresistible temptations, one suffers once, in tribulation. Due to
avoidable temptations, of which one knew better, one suffers twice. Due to sins,
even the existence of which, one obstinately denies, one suffers thrice."From Mike Restivo's 125
Original Aphorisms found on his web site

The new Mike Restivo - sorta....

The 2010 elections in the United States saw all sorts of bizarre
things that were totally unique and unexpected. There was something in Toronto,
Canada, however that was - to us at least - even more bizarre: the run for
political office by our old nemesis Mike Restivo who wanted to be City
Councilman in his home ward where he'd grown up and lived all his life. WHAT?
The acerbic and, as many had described him, completely obnoxious Mike Restivo
now a politician? How could this be?

There
it was: a smiling picture of him along with a story that noted he was in favor
of considering road tolls for Toronto, something which seemed to be pretty much
his sole running platform plank. It was noted that he was 59 years old and
single (apparently not a single woman was won over by his
puerile pornography)
and a pointer to a website page which could ostensibly explain his position on
road tolls.

Needless to say, we clicked on the link to learn more and
ultimately came to read a somewhat fanciful biography explaining that he was
single, had no dependents and was in excellent health. His resume was - from our
perspective at least - pretty notional. The most comical part, though, was that
here's a guy who has set up his own website at www.mikerestivo.org (now offline) and we were on that
site to look for information where it was, just as ten years ago, lacking a
rational menu system. Because Mr. Restivo had warned everyone that using the
backspace key to modify a web address in their own web search bar so that they
might reach a site's home page was illegal (Yes, folks: that's what he claimed!
See here
for more details at your own risk!), we simply typed in the web address without
all of the directory or page nomenclature. You won't believe it but there - just
as he'd done on his other sites so many years ago - was a warning and his cute
little graphic that admittance to the root directory was not allowed. Truly,
truly amazing. Set up a website about yourself but ignore the home page.
Then again, Mike never was a person to follow standard conventions - in
anything, it would seem. HE always knew more than the rest - whether he did or
not.

So here's what Mike Restivo is up to now - and we do want to
give him all of the attention he wants (deserves? craves?). Does anyone except
Mike Restivo write as Mike Restivo does? Anyone? Mike Restivo will not only give
you free advertising space but Mike Restivo will solve all your problems - as
long as you mail them to him privately. Just think....

I will be
expanding this website now and after the municipal election for the
purposes of engaging in conversations at much greater length than
permitted to commentators in certain print media. <Looks
like losing so badly derailed that idea, eh? Small wonder!> I invite all to
contribute informatively and with maturemindedness. All submissions
should be via email and will be fairly moderated by Mike Restivo and the
passed submissions will be posted on my web site as soon as possible at
www.mikerestivo.org/commentary as its new URL address.

By design I
made my site simple for ease of one person maintenance and modification,
by Mike Restivo, so immediate posting is not possible, rather in
batches; consider a day at least between submission and posting. The
goal is to develop a body of serious reference thought towards increased
social and political formation and activism, from various viewpoints,
not merely day to day only relevant comments. <See below for one person's comments
about Mike's website!>

I am now offering free advertising space,
about one screen page each maximum, to help increase the numbers of
readership in my web site/blog, not only for current local events and
political issues, but also for ads for products and services, jobs
wanted and jobs available in the greater Toronto area at
www.mikerestivo.org/advertisers.
Please bookmark these sites. Line Phone: 416-423-6069. Cell phone
416-669-5700. Hours 9:00 am to 9:00pm Monday through Sunday.Email at:
webhost@pobox.com

I will do my
best to solve all problems emailed to me privately before and after the
municipal election. Please exercise your vote informatively and
responsibly on October 25, 2010 and especially where applicable:

But alas: all of his problem solving and clever ideas for road
tolls fell on deaf ears. For SIXTY YEARS he's lived in the same place and should
have made SOME friends. The 'tale of the tape' seems to tell a different story
though and less than one half of one percent of voters paid attention to him.
Too bad. How sad. But - dare we say - typical of Mr. Restivo's over-inflated
opinion of himself.

So the mikerestivo.org website is gone completely.
Guess all that enlightened discussion supported by advertising was never to be.
So much for Mike's political promises, eh?

While that website was up and during the elections, one of his
potential constituents posted the following - and we just howled!

Mike Restivo was one of my favourite
candidates. He does repair work for a living. Owns a company, repairs
POS systems, and PCs. Yet this is
his website.
HAHAHA! Okay, seriously, here’s
his website. <Just a subdirectory of the one which caused the
laughter, actually!> I would never trust a man to build, or
repair any electronic system who has such little grasp of what a website
is. Nor would I trust someone who thinks a blog is a series of static
HTML pages. Sigh. (Link
here.)

What was PARTICULARLY hilarious was that for years, Mr. Restivo
had bragged about his exhaustive knowledge of all things web, including his
famous claims that we'd used an
"illegal backspace". Another 'subject of interest' which
arose from Mr. Restivo's political posturing was his endorsement crack
cocaine-user Rob Ford for Mayor.
Read about that here.

Stay tuned for the next exciting adventure in this seemingly
endless saga!

May, 2002: Every day, Mike Restivo's language becomes more
gutter-like. His attempts to justify himself are more and more filled with suggestive filth. Because our website has become a valuable resource for students, researchers,
and the simply curious, we will not allow it to be stained by this soil. One need only do a review of posts to the
alt.freemasonry newsgroup to appreciate our concern. Each day, we think:
"He can't get much worse than this!" but the next day proves us wrong.
Prior to commencing college at age 51, he wrote tortured endless polemics punctuated with
Biblical quotes copied seemingly at random from his Parson's computerized Bible
program. Now with his degree in hand, he seems capable only
of ceaseless
insults, barnyard
epithets, and pathetic excuses as
continues his attempt to prove to the world via the alt.freemasonry
newsgroup that he is indeed a man of stature!

In the past, some Masons would have argued that Restivo
(who refers to himself regularly in the third person, ostensibly for aiding
search engines even though he signs his full name in each post!) should not have been identified as an anti-Mason despite his
almost daily acerbic
insults of Masons. As of July, 2001,
there seemed to be not a soul online who did not agree that he is not only an anti-Mason
(based on his behavior in the 'Backspace
Affair') but a pathetic individual as well. Please note: we've
moved certain material to another web space under our control in order to ensure
that this site remains suitable for children!

That Mike Restivo is now
adjudged by anyone reading his prolific daily postings to the alt.freemasonry
newsgroup as being delusional and paranoid is understandable. The several year
process which has led to his descent into ranting and barnyard suggestions,
however, is difficult to describe in
a few short sentences. What prompted Mike
to begin involvement online with those in an organization which he had used for
mercenary goals and discarded some fifteen years earlier (see below) will likely
forever remain unclear. Mike - despite a once extensive vocabulary - most
recently writes in a manner which gives him the opportunity for providing 'alternative'
explanations of his true intent.

What we do know was that
his stated
purpose of providing 'honest criticism' of Freemasonry was far from reality. Like a moth to a
flame Mike's online existence seemed designed for him to trumpet himself as an expert on
various aspects of the Fraternity, particularly those areas in which he felt
Masons were somehow
deficient. He referred to himself as a 'Masonic critic' (in his mind, quite different from being an anti-Mason) yet
privately he offered assistance and coaching to those who were the most vocal
against Freemasonry. His rationale: they were disadvantaged and his extensive
knowledge could 'even the odds'. This was the beginning of the evasion, obfuscation, and deceit
that has marked all of his encounters with Masons online - and those encounters
remain now as then his only online activity. Refusing to simply 'walk away' when
his ignorance and/or anti-Masonic behavior was being exposed, it
was first a crusade to prove that he was in the right and that those who
disagreed were somehow casting aspersions on his good character (and superb
knowledge). Today he imagines himself as the victim of Grand Lodges throughout the
world who are all plotting to silence him as he exposes the evil of Freemasonry.
Casting himself as a victim suffering in measure equal to that of the Jews in
concentration camps or those who were caused harm at the hands of the terrorists
of 9/11 (while he ignored that suffering, flooding the alt.freemasonry newsgroup
with self-serving spam on that very day and the
next as the smoke and soot billowed around New York), he labels anyone who dares to send a message to or about him as some
type of evil terrorist intent on destroying freedom, democracy, and - most
importantly - Mike Restivo's reputation. Characterizing himself as a
"justice advocate", he tilts at windmills of his own making while
praising himself for so doing.

Sound impossible to
believe? It's not - and hundreds of Masons have watched the person first assumed
to be simply a pompous, arrogant pedant debase himself by writing filth to create
a 'trap' which would ultimately "prove" that Masons were evil and -
an essential part never to be omitted - attempting to embarrass him.

The MacMason who knows everything....

Mike actually joined Masonry over two decades ago (1981) but
after three meetings (just long enough to take his three degrees),
he 'demitted' (quit, albeit in good standing and eligible for reaffiliation).
Why did he join in the first place? He admitted that he
did so for purely mercenary reasons, totally against all which Masonry asks of
its members. In his words:

"Now I have only 90 days membership in the
Craft; just the Initiations, that's it. I was
interested in the C.B.C.S. <Masonicinfo
Note: A Martinist organization> and needed Master Mason
qualification for consideration. Otherwise I would not have joined,
as the Craft had nothing to teach me. I was
interested in the Scottish Rectified Rite, of which
the C.B.C.S. and the Profession are higher grades within it,
and still am, although I have not studied its rituals yet."

Mike was at the time of
joining Freemasonry was approximately 35 years
old - old enough, we think, to have understood and appreciated the questions he was asked before
joining - and to also have understood that a principal tenet of Freemasonry is that
one should not join for personal gain. Mike claims that his sponsors were good friends;
surely, then, he knew what he was getting into.... Perhaps it was just Mike wanting to be generous and share
his incredible wealth of knowledge with the ignorant Freemasons as he now
claims? We think not.

Mike proceeded with the
initiation process - promising before God and man that he was being true to his
word and that he was not using Freemasonry in a mercenary way. He then immediately resigned, his true purpose having been fulfilled.
He has since argued forcefully and vigorously
that his aspirations in the Martinist hierarchy had nothing to do with his
joining Freemasonry but his arrogance, evidenced in the message above and many
others, proves this a lie. (It's also reinforced by the fact that he joined an
organization so he'd - ostensibly - have access to some other rituals but over a
decade later, he'd still not have studied yet. Make sense? Not to anyone that we
know, for sure!)

Despite current
historical revisionism, Mike's constant desire to stay in the spotlight caused
him to re-admit his true (and
deceitful) intent in becoming a Mason. You can see that full message
here thanks to Mike himself whose ego caused him to take a
message formerly written on the members-only forums of CompuServe in June, 1996
where it had long since passed into oblivion. Such braggadocio has often proven his undoing and now provides an indelible record of his blunders and blathers.

Curiously
too,
Mike has regularly alluded to the quote above indicating that it is
wrong and that I've created it.

JH:
However, I have seen another message that you posted in which you stated that you became a Mason
only to qualify for initiation in the Martinist order. You
can't have it both ways, honestly.

MR:
That message was a well known lie of Ed King.

JH: It was in a message which you wrote and posted.

MR:
Not possible
as Restivo never wrote such a thing. <Masonicinfo
note: see link above!>

Look bozo, you are confusing the
Martinist Order with the C.B.C.S.; membership in that order would have
compromised my masonic status. Hence I would not have accepted the
invitation to join the C.B.C.S. on grounds of regularity issues.

But this in April, 2002 should clarify Mike's intent - maybe:

"You must be smoking intoxicants. I already was a Martinist Provincial
Grand Master and Grand Inspector prior to becoming a mason. Masonry had
nothing to teach me. I offered to enlighten those I could. Little did I realize how morally corrupt the cult really was!!"

And
in May, 2002, in more revisionist history, Mike wanted everyone to know
that his joining was NOT mercenary because he already knew FAR more than
any Mason:

"I
was already a Martinist Provincial Grand Master at the time. freemasonry
was a step down."
and "I
would not have joined freemasonry to learn lessons which I already
lived. that did not preclude me from joining to add my light to those
capable of discerning it."

And
further, Mike claims:

"I
refused membership in the C.B.C.S. Membership is by invitation
only."

Apparently
incapable of realizing we are able to connect the dots and that if he
had NOT become a Mason, such membership would have never been offered to
him (if, in fact, it ever was considering that at the time Mike seemed
to be at war with nearly everyone involved in Martinism). That he ultimately refused
the invitation, in his mind
apparently, negates the mercenary motive he had in joining an order that
was necessary to receive such an invitation.

To
claim in one message that he joined in order to become eligible for an
invitation to join a particular group and then in another to claim that
he would not have accepted the invitation as it would 'compromise' his
Masonic status (a foolish and totally unfounded claim as Freemasonry
would have no interest in any such other membership any more than if
he'd joined the Rotary or a local book club) and then to claim in a
third that he turned down the invitation.... Well, it really defies
credulity in the extreme.

Mike is an active
"evangelical" Roman
Catholic - or so he asserts. He would regularly comment proudly that he has been a congregant of the same parish his
entire life and is well known by the Archbishop of his Diocese. In numerous messages over the
years, he has also noted the Catholic Church's position on Freemasonry being forbidden
under penalty of excommunication since the 1730s. Curiously,
however - and in another example of his contradictory behavior in apparent violation of his self-claimed strong
Roman Catholic beliefs - he decided to
join Freemasonry regardless.

Why? Mike was mute on that point for some time. In early 2002,
under constant questioning from Masons seeking to understand his motivation, he claimed that the restrictions against Freemasonry had
been "relaxed" at the time he chose to join in 1981. (Note: 1981 was,
of course, several years after Vatican II at which the Roman Church's position seemed
- to many at least - to be less harsh than in
the past.) His explanation, however, fails to explain why he would attempt
to reaffiliate in 2000 when, as he now clearly states, those bans by his Church were in full
force and effect and had been extensively commented on by Mike himself in his
only online home, the alt.freemasonry newsgroup. More weathervane excuses - or
what some might describe as deceit!

Mike has claimed - alternatively - that he left
Freemasonry due to either:

discrimination against a friend
of
Italian descent - although Mike cannot satisfactorily explain why such discrimination did not
apply to him (since he's also of Italian descent) when he was accepted by the Lodge
just a few weeks earlier. He
offers dark allusions
that the lodge might have felt "two wops was one too many" - but
of course, can't provide one bit of evidence about this seemingly
convenient (and manufactured?) scenario (excuse) - and he fails to tell us
where said 'friend' is now;

a report of presumptive potential discrimination by a US lodge against a
Black
member of his Canadian lodge relating to a then upcoming visitation (although he admits he
has/had no proof that this would or did occur);

disagreements over what he claims to be the 'false religion' presented by Freemasonry.
(Subsequent postings on CompuServe made clear his position that a 'white
book' - i.e., a blank book presumed to symbolically contain the writings of
ALL religions - should be employed by Freemasonry rather than the Bible, as
but one example of these disagreements.)

that Freemasonry
should be open to women (a claim he began making after determining that this
was an issue over which some Masons would legitimately disagree).

Mike's request for a demit
(a 'permission' to remove oneself from participation with Freemasonry) does not
elaborate on any of these supposed concerns but he excuses this
omission as a desire
to not antagonize those in his Lodge. One must wonder why someone who had
such strong convictions about so many things he found 'wrong' would then not
even mention them as he walked out the door in disgust.

He now also claims that
Freemasonry's rituals are sadistic. Again, we wonder whether he realized this in
1981 when he was a participant in them, in 1982 after he'd left, in 1995 when he
supposedly had a renewed interest in Freemasonry prompting his involvement on CompuServe, in 2000 when he was applying for
reaffiliation, or in 2002 when he began using this claim as a bludgeon. Perhaps
it took Mike twenty years to figure it out - and if so, is he really as sharp as
he wants everyone to believe?

But let's begin at the beginning:

In the mid-90s, Mike
Restivo appeared on CompuServe's Masonry Forum. His first posts were innocuous
but they failed to garner much attention (a lament he made in some later posts). He was shortly thereafter found in
other CompuServe forums (in particular, the Religion Forum) writing lengthy
polemics often focused on the Southern (US) Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, an
organization which - even if he had not demitted from Freemasonry
immediately - he would not
have been eligible to join due to his life-long residence in Toronto, Canada.
The Southern (US) Scottish Rite has precious little ritualistic similarity to Scottish Rite
Supreme Councils elsewhere in the world with over half of the degrees in
Canada being different from those used elsewhere. Mike began using
Albert Pike as a convenient whipping boy, failing to acknowledge (or
understand?) the profound
differences in Scottish Rite Councils. When confronted
with this, his postings became belligerent and bellicose. At
this time too, there were several vocal anti-Masons on the Religion Forum
(including folks like Duane Washum, Acacia
Press, and more) and Mike seemed to find pleasure in
helping them 'polish' their presentations against Masons although once the
knowledge of his claimed Roman Catholic faith and his description of himself as an
'evangelical Catholic' was brought to their attention, he was treated as very much the pariah, another perceived injustice which he blames on
Masons. (Can we hum the tune "Lookin' for love in all the wrong
places..."???)

Mike's prolific posts
demeaning the (presumed) rituals of the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite and his philosophical musings on Pike's
works were long,
tortured, and infused with exhaustive Biblical quotations. In the charged
atmosphere of the Religion Forum at a time when online anti-Masonry was little
understood and those who berated Freemasonry were so prevalent, he was
challenged, debated, derided, and labeled. When his theories and claims
were rebutted, he bitterly disputed each and every one, moving inexorably to ad
hominem attacks against the Masons who had rebuked his claims and - ostensibly -
'tarnished his image' as a scholar without peer. An objective reader would conclude that Mike
did not 'suffer fools gladly'; conversely, he seemed to never consider any information whatsoever
that might contradict his contrived positions. Any and all
comments on his tortured
treatises were seen by Mike as a personal insult to
his intellectual dominance. His presentation style and his online demeanor did
nothing to foster a spirit of debate and he showed enormous disdain whom
he apparently considered his inferiors - which included nearly everyone from
whom he'd read more than a couple of messages. His own posts to bolster the opponents of Freemasonry were
frequently described as long-winded and boring - usually by the anti-Masons whom
he was trying to assist! As a result, Mike sparked little interest except
as a provocateur. What appeared to be an over-inflated ego was regularly being pricked by even the
most
casual visitor to the fray.

From
this came the basis for Mike's subsequent claims that he has constantly been subjected to
persecution from "goon enforcer Masons". He appeared to determine that
if a Mason had the temerity to question his
homilies, they
were, in fact, prosecuting him.

As exchanges quickly escalated to
anger and bitterness,
some of the Masonic correspondents began exhaustive research into the Scottish Rite's
history. One of them, Mason Mike Poll, has subsequently become a noted author
and Masonic educator, specializing in materials relating to the
earliest days of Scottish Rite history. On a daily basis, Mike Restivo's claims were being challenged and
refuted. This certainly did not go over well - at all! As an example:
Restivo would make a
claim about a particular piece of ritual; Poll would refute it by noting that
said ritual was not in use and hadn't ever been; Restivo would reply that he had
no opportunity to know that - with the implication that he was still right in
his claim nevertheless. It was just so very foolish....

Mike Restivo also began complaining that the Masons posting in the Religion Forum were unfairly muzzling legitimate
dissent from the vocal anti-Masons. He claimed that because of his exhaustive
knowledge of Freemasonry, it was his personal responsibility to assist those who were
defaming the organization through lies. Strange indeed....

Fast forward several years....

Mike Restivo never
fully abandoned
his laborious dissertations, but ultimately seemed to recognize that they were
of little use in drawing
attention (and adoration) to himself. Because those posts would subject him to correction by Masonic
scholars, he was chagrined to find he was not lauded as the expert he
imagined himself.
Correction/refutation is not something Mike willingly endures. The result?
Before abandoning alt.freemasonry some
90-95% of his posts
were either personal attacks on Masons or whines about his perceived
persecution - and the percentage seemed to increase daily. While once his
posts were examples of logical argument (although tedious and obfuscating, often with
a false premise), organization and extraordinary use of the obscure
phraseology, his
final modus was the posting of provocative screeds in which he bragged about his prowess - in
every arena .

Mike saved his most
venemous scorn for Masons whom he determined weren't upholding his conception of Masonic ideals - although why this should
matter to someone who freely admitted (and proudly proclaimed) that Freemasonry had nothing to teach him
- is a very curious question.

In July, 2003, he began posting anti-Masonic screeds, disparaging his 'major protagonists' such as
this site's author, in religious newsgroups without inclusion of alt.freemasonry.
Failing at this point in his efforts to raise hackles after such boring
repetition of stupidity in alt.fm, he seemingly wanted to prove himself
by reiteration of his claims elsewhere so that they might be accepted without
challenge. Does it seem rational to anyone that a
grown man would need to whine about what others' might have done by posting to
places where they might never know about it? Just when we think that Mike can't be any more
infantile, he manages to surprise us!

Hyperbole 'R' Us

Mike's partially stated goal is the acclamation by the
entire Masonic fraternity of his
philosophical concepts on such issues as
Masonic idealism and behavior. He has posted that there is no
reason whatsoever why he should not be the Grand Master of his or any other (or
all) jurisdictions, this being an opportunity for him to 'raise up good
Masons' without the evil influences of the "rogue, cult-minded, fanatic,
hate-filled, queer-writing, deceptive, attacking, enforcer, goon,
cyber-terrorist, newsgroup stalker hate Masons". (There's apparently a
ranking system within those words: I and a couple of other Masons active online
have been labeled with them all but some have only been called a selected few....)
(
again!)

Persons just beginning to
come in contact with Mr. Restivo
might observe an albeit rare single sagacious Restivo post and presume that Mike has much to
offer. It's a pattern that, when Mike's percentage of insults to intelligent
posts was much different, was oft repeated although now, the din created by his
near-maniacal rants makes it clear that dealing with him as an adult is fruitless. Now,
everyone - whether addressing a post to him or not - is the brunt of insults,
put-downs, and ridicule: the seeming trademark of Mike's online behavior. Ironically,
even other rabid anti-Masons fail to embrace Mike and his vicious bitterness.

Mike's history on our website:

At
this site's outset, we had several pages about Mike. They showed
detailed examples of what we felt was the foolishness his claims of being
persecuted. In late 1999,
attempting rapprochement as we neared the end
of the century and seeing a continued
deterioration in his messaging (his prior cogent arguments descending into rants increasingly composed exclusively of insults and attacks), a few Masons in alt.freemasonry apologized for any
involvement they might have had in exacerbating hard feelings and extended the hand of reconciliation. In
consort with this peace effort, we
removed our separate pages about Mike and limited our discussion to a couple of paragraphs
on our 'Others' page. We wrote that we
were skeptical such efforts would produce fruit knowing that anyone who seemed
to find such
profound and continuing solace and recognition
in chastising Masons or Masonry unremittingly would never see the endeavor as arising from worthy
motives. Regrettably, we were right.

In the Fall of 2000 Mike
Restivo - for some
unstated reason - reapplied for restatement to his home lodge after a 19 year hiatus, notwithstanding his ongoing hatred (not too strong a term
assuredly!) of essentially
all online Masons. The action was so out of context with his day-to-day
online behavior, questions arose immediately. Speculation ensued, fueled by
Mike's oblique and obfuscating replies to messages. Some Masons openly suggested that this was yet another of
Mike's "psychological
probes" (an activity he not only admits but has often bragged about) or some type of perverted project for a college class ("The Aberrant
Behavior of Online Masons When Confronted With The Truth"
or some such....). This author now believes that it was simply an attempt to "trap" online Masons which would further prove (in his
mind, apparently, to everyone) the wicked and unceasing persecution he claims to be suffering at their
hands. The move also garnered considerable attention for Mike, something he craves unceasingly.

His action had it's apparently desired effect. A single intemperate post from a senior Mason
in Mike's jurisdiction appeared, expressing his views on the likely (negative) outcome of the
ballot. This was perfect for Mike, already posturing as the angrily defensive
aggrieved person entitled by right to return to Freemasonry if he so desired -
his egregious online behavior notwithstanding. He further asserted that he was certainly
capable and qualified to become not only Master of his lodge but Grand Master as
well due to his superior qualifications.

And then, almost as quickly as it began, it was over. Mike withdrew his request for
reinstatement. Why? Because the outcome was now certain - according
to Mike at least. In fact, he created a fantasy surrounding what would
happen as his ballot for reinstatement was contemplated and even went so far
as to angrily protest that he was not given full and sufficient chance to
present his grievances against those whom he had verbally insulted for years.

In his
typical obfuscation, Mike subsequently provided several 'alternative scenarios' as to why he
might have chosen to reaffiliate but never clearly and without qualification
stated his reasons specifically. Curiously too, when Mike first announced his
intent, he indicated that it was (perhaps) based on the encouragement of his
"friends" in the lodge.
Strangely, though, none of them - not his sole living sponsor, not his friend who'd been
initially blackballed but who is active in the lodge today, and not ANY of the members of the lodge - have
come forward to support him publicly (or privately either it appears, based on certain
comments Mike has made). He also indicated that he could become Grand Master and 'make
Masons' of better character than the rest - a VERY intriguing scenario too
bizarre to contemplate.

During
the latter part of 2000 and into 2001, Mike also moved on to increasingly intense ad hominem attacks.
Different from his
earlier years of writing, these included (and continue to
this day to include) many bizarre filthy innuendoes and suggestions. A number of Masons felt
that the attempt to reaffiliate was nothing more than a calculated move to
secure attention or to play some psychological mind-game. There appears to
be consensus that the message relative to the expected outcome of Mike's attempt
to return - although expressing what essentially everyone expected - was
inappropriate. Mike attempted unsuccessfully to parlay this into a crisis of
conscience which could threaten
the freedom of all free peoples of the world....

Which brings us to 2004....

Mike, an unemployed 58 year old now
who has attended college for the first time and has ostensibly graduated.
He promised that after he graduated (claiming initially he'd be done in three
years but actually taking the full four) he would
consider pursing a law degree so that he can take this site's creator to
court where he would 'prove' our "criminal behavior" which - sans
Restivo spin - seems to mean that we've embarrassed him
by setting forth his many idiosyncrasies! We wish him the best in
his endeavors. Update: In late 2001, Mike apparently discovered/decided that he
wouldn't be going to law
school and now, on a semi-regular basis, taunts me to sue HIM!

And a further update:
in June/July, 2003, Mike wrote to alt.freemasonry bragging about his dominance
by having won some kind of property suit in court. Concurrently, he indicated
that he was 'retired'. The astute reader may conclude that many of Mike's online
actions and reactions stem from things in his personal life. Bereft of a family
or a business (his having apparently failed, thus his attendance at college courtesy of the
Canadian welfare system and an unwillingness or inability to find work following
his graduation despite his braggadocio) he continuously attempts to interest
others in his 'activities', recognizing that Freemasonry provides others with a
friendship and fellowship he will never, ever share.

And despite his bragging about an advanced degree, he's gone back for a SECOND
Bachelor's Degree.... Unusual for anyone but particularly for someone at his age. Likely
the welfare system won't pay for an advanced degree so this is his only chance
to stay on the dole....

In
all of this, Mike's
moral compass appears to have gone greatly askew. In March, 2001, he posted a series of
"erotic" stories on his website. When discovered by this site's
owner, Mike proudly proclaimed that he had done it simply to "trap" Masons and
prove their transgressions. We recount that incident
involving a backspace and a LOT of slithering here
(please note that we have moved Mike's more salacious material to a separate
site so as to ensure this one remains appropriate for family use).

Lest we
be accused of not giving Mike an opportunity to present his side of things, you can
find his web site about the horrible Masons and his paranoia about a
"Masonic Menace" right
here. Be forewarned: formatting is not Mike's strong suit and he seems
to believe that stringing a bunch of Usenet messages together will readily show you
what he's trying to communicate. (In early 2002, he even began using a
bombastic introduction for clarification purposes. One can't help but be
amazed at the rhetoric.)

Restivo in a Nutshell

"If the high ideals of Restivo, which Ed King and his associates
hate, are those of Blue Lodge (i.e. Craft) Freemasonry, and they are, Ed
King and his dupes and dopes are explicitly warring against Masonry and
enabled and supported by idiots to <sic> enthralled with mob mentality to
actually think logically over why Restivo is being attacked for years, and
why he takes extreme measures to garner evidence of criminal activities
against him."

Doesn't it all make sense now?

So has anyone else noticed Mike? You betcha!

In yet another bit of irony, the person who so dearly craves the
spotlight has now received a bit of perhaps unwelcome attention by being
labeled by the Crank-Dot-Net website as being - you guessed it -
CRANKY!
It's something we've known all along! Head off to visit their wonderful site
where Mike and so many of the others whom we chronicle here are given their
'fifteen minutes of fame'.

Congratulations,
Mike.
If anyone deserves this, it's you!!!

Updated 26 November 2004 and again
after the disastrous (for Mr. Restivo but likely not Ward 29 in Toronto)
elections of October, 2010. Added a little bit in January, 2014.

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